The U.S. Department of State's Waiver Review Division has changed procedures for requesting waivers of the two-year foreign residence requirement [Section 212(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act] for J-1 exchange visitors. As of March 31, 2000, all requests for waiver review, regardless of the basis upon which the waiver is requested, should be initiated by submitting a completed data sheet (available at http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/info/info_1296.html); the $136 user fee payment; and two self-addressed, stamped envelopes. Depending on whether the correspondence is sent via postal or courier service, the addresses to which these items must be sent after March 31 are:

Postal Service: 
U.S. Department of State/Waiver Review Division 
P.O. Box 952137 
St. Louis, MO 63195-2137

Courier Service: 
U.S. Department of State/Waiver Review Division 
(Box 952137) 1005 Convention Plaza 
St. Louis, MO 63101-1200

Upon receiving the data sheet, user fee, and self-addressed and stamped envelopes, the Waiver Review Division will then assign a case number and will forward instructions to the exchange visitor for further processing. Please note that the State Department's web page for J visa waivers (http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/info/info_1296.html) will not be updated until March 30.

Please note:

• Please write on the check or money order the applicant's full name, date of birth and Social Security Number, if any.                

• Remittances must be drawn on a bank or other institution located in the U.S. and made payable in U.S. currency to the U.S. Department of State.                

• If the applicant resides outside the United States at the time of application, remittance may be made by bank international money order of foreign draft drawn on an institution in the U.S. and made payable to the U.S. Department of State in U.S. currency.

Once the Waiver Review Division has received your Data Sheet, they will use your self-addressed, stamped, legal-size envelope, to send you a case number and instruction sheet on how to proceed with your application under the basis you designated on your Data Sheet. This information will include a list of documents that you must submit to complete your waiver review application. After you have received your case number, you must write the full case number on any documentation you submit as well as on the outside envelope of all future correspondence with this office. If you do not write the case number on all correspondence and on the outside of the envelope, the documents you submit will be returned to you.

It is your responsibility to submit all requested documents and required letters sent on your behalf. Once we have sent you the checklist of items necessary to complete the review of your application, the Waiver Review Office will NOT follow up on documents that have not been received. Rather, it will be your responsibility to ensure that your file is complete. You may check on the status of your application ONLY by telephoning (202) 663-1600. You must have your full case number in order to obtain the status of your case through this telephone number.

We recommend that you submit all the requested documents at the same time. Some letters (such as a "No Objection" statement from your government) must be submitted directly to the Waiver Review Division by the Embassy. In that case, you,  as the applicant, must request that the Embassy write your full case number on the "No Objection" statement and also on the outside of the envelope to be sent to the Waiver Review Division. You may, if the third party agrees, have all of your documents forwarded to the Waiver Review Division through the third party. Please note, however, that ALL documents sent to the Waiver Review Division must have your file number clearly visible on it, and on the outside of the envelope or they will be returned to you.

At the conclusion of the review process, the Waiver Review Division will forward its recommendation directly to the Citizenship and Immigration Services and you will receive a copy of that recommendation at the address listed on your data sheet. If your application is denied, you will be notified directly.